Barias assures continued police presence at Waterfront area
Police Regional Office (PRO) 6 regional director Chief Supt. Geary Barias assured residents at the waterfront area that police personnel from the regional command will still help the Iloilo City Police Office (ICPO) even if the Task Force Waterfront is already abolished.
In a meeting with the eight barangay captains of waterfront area, Barias assured that the 53 police personnel presently assigned with the Task Force Waterfront will remain in their present assignments in the area.
Task force head Senior Supt. Lazaro Torcita, on the other hand, will reportedly be given staff assignment at the PRO 6 headquarters.
Waterfront area is composed of barangays General Hughes, Sto. Rosario-Duran, Barangay Monica, Concepcion, Zamora, Legaspi, Muelle Loney and Veteran's Village.
Barias assured waterfront residents that police visibility will be maximized to prevent the resurgence of criminal activities in the area.
Some people and barangay officials fear that criminalities will again occur in the waterfront area if the task force is abolished.
Barias clarified that only the responsibility of handling the peace and order along the waterfront area is turned over to the ICPO. He said the regional command will still support the city police.
The same support will be given by the regional police office to the city police in terms of technical, manpower and logistics.
Barias also reiterated in front of barangay captains that there is nothing political with his decision to deactivate the Task Force Waterfront. He said "we only want to maximize the use of our personnel."
On Senator Franklin Drilon's statement that there could be a powerful politician behind the move to abolish Task Force Waterfront, Barias said he (Drilon) is just misinformed.
Barias said that "time will tell" whether the senator's belief has basis.